Drink ounces below are US fluid ounces; ingredient weights are explicitly labeled.

Elderflower liqueur replaces plain syrup in this house French 75. The gin-forward ratio is a culinary variation on the International Bartenders Association French75 shake-and-top method, not an exact branded recipe.

St-Germain Elderflower French 75

  • 1 1/2 US fluid ounces gin
  • 1 US fluid ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur
  • 3/4 US fluid ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 3 US fluid ounces cold brut Champagne, Prosecco or Cava
  • 1 US cup ice for shaking
  • 1 washed lemon peel strip, optional
  1. Shake gin, liqueur and lemon juice with ice for 10-12 seconds until chilled. Do not add sparkling wine to the shaker.
  2. Strain into a chilled 10-ounce flute or coupe, leaving room for foam. Add measured cold sparkling wine slowly and stir gently.
  3. Twist optional lemon peel skin-side down over the drink and add it. Serve immediately.

Yield: 1 cocktail; 6 1/4 fluid ounces before shake dilution. Time: 5 minutes with chilled ingredients.

Measured Variations

For an elderflower gin fizz shake the same 1 1/2 ounces gin, 1 ounce liqueur and 3/4 ounce lemon, then strain over fresh ice in a 12-ounce glass and add 2 ounces club soda. Makes 5 1/4 ounces before shake dilution. For the official St-Germain spritz build 1 1/2 ounces liqueur, 2 ounces brut sparkling wine and 2 ounces sparkling water over ice in a large wine glass, stir gently and add one washed lemon twist. Makes 5 1/2 ounces before melt; allow 3 minutes. See St-Germain official spritz .

For a house Collins build the fizz with 3 ounces soda instead of 2; one drink, 6 1/4 ounces before shake dilution. For a vodka branch replace only the 1 1/2 ounces gin with 1 1/2 ounces vodka. For a gin-free branch omit gin and combine 1 ounce liqueur, 3/4 ounce lemon and 3 ounces wine in an 8-ounce glass; it still contains alcohol. For homemade-cordial sweetness replace 1 ounce liqueur with 1/2 ounce prepared elderflower cordial and 1/2 ounce cold water; keep gin, lemon and wine. This sweeter house variation still contains alcohol and has the same measured 6 1/4-ounce input. Follow the separate cordial’s complete preparation/storage recipe first.

An alcohol-free house spritz omits both gin and liqueur and wine: stir 1/2 ounce prepared non-alcoholic cordial, 1/2 ounce lemon juice and 5 ounces sparkling water over ice. Makes one 6-ounce drink in 3 minutes with prepared cold cordial. No one-for-one liqueur substitution makes the original alcohol-free.

Four-Drink Batch and Storage

Combine 6 ounces gin, 4 ounces liqueur and 3 ounces lemon juice in a covered pitcher (13 ounces undiluted base). Refrigerate up to 4 hours, a house flavor target. At serving measure 3 1/4 ounces base per drink, shake separately with ice, strain, and top each with 3 ounces wine. Total input before dilution is 25 ounces for four drinks. The fridge chills the base but does not provide shake dilution. For the original longer top-up option use 4 ounces wine per drink and a 12-ounce glass; then each has 7 1/4 ounces before dilution.

A 750 ml liqueur bottle contains about 25.36 US fluid ounces and supplies 25 one-ounce pours with a little left, not a shelf-life guarantee. Store purchased spirits and opened wine according to their labels; no generic six-month refrigerator life is assigned to St-Germain. Keep lemon base at 40 F or below and use within 24 hours if unserved. Keep fresh milk, fruit and finished drinks at 40 F (4 C) or below. Cool heated mixtures promptly in shallow heat-safe containers or an ice-water bath, then refrigerate within 2 hours; use a 1-hour limit above 90 F (32 C). Discard perishables left without temperature control beyond those limits. Follow purchased ingredient labels if shorter. A normal smell does not establish safety.

St-Germain elderflower liqueur bottle beside a cocktail shaker with fresh lemons and a coupe glass on a bright surface, Hendrick's gin bottle in the background
Use the measured gin, elderflower liqueur and lemon juice.
St-Germain elderflower French 75 cocktail in a crystal coupe glass with Champagne bubbles rising and a lemon twist garnish, elegant setting with soft natural light
Shake the still ingredients with ice; add wine after straining.
Two St-Germain elderflower French 75 cocktails in coupe glasses with Champagne bubbles, St-Germain bottle and fresh lemons on an elegant bright surface
The elderflower liqueur makes this an alcoholic drink.

Preparation References

International Bartenders Association French75 , St-Germain official spritz , FDA safe buffets .

Elderflower notes , Elderflower gin collins , Elderflower cordial recipe without citric acid uk style , Basil gin smash with lime for summer refreshment , Lavender hibiscus highball .

FDA storing food safely .